The present invention relates to eyeglass frames. More particularly, and not by way of limitation, the present invention is directed to an earpiece-less eyeglass frame having a removable retainer strap.
Eyeglasses, including sunglasses, are held in place on a user's face with earpieces, also known as temple pieces. The earpieces connect to the side of the eyeglass lenticular frame and extend rearward along each temple to the user's ears. A rearmost portion of the earpieces may curve downward so that the earpieces curve around the ear and help hold the eyeglasses in place. The earpieces may also have spring tension that holds them securely to the user's temple, thereby helping to hold the eyeglasses in place.
It is known from the prior art to attach a retainer strap to the earpieces of a pair of eyeglasses. Short elastic straps may be utilized to hold the eyeglasses in place during physical activities such as various sporting events. Longer, generally non-elastic straps connected to the earpieces may be placed around a user's neck, so that the user can remove the eyeglasses from his face and let them hang by the retainer strap when not in use.
All of the above techniques for holding eyeglasses on a user's face suffer from various disadvantages associated with the earpieces. First, the earpieces are uncomfortable as they press against the user's head and ears. Second, the earpieces add unwanted weight to the eyeglasses. Third, the earpieces add bulk to the eyeglasses making them more difficult to store in a user's pocket or eyeglass holder. Fourth, the earpieces are easily bent, making it difficult to keep the eyeglasses in a level position on the user's face. Fifth, earpieces are often made of various metallic and composite compounds, and being in firm contact with the temple skin of the face and around the skin of the ear, can often cause allergic skin reactions. Finally, the hinges that connect the earpieces to the frame are often fragile and easily break, thereby rendering the eyeglasses useless.
A known solution to this problem has been utilized with sunglasses in an opthalmologist's eye care center. The sunglasses were provided to patients who had had their eyes dilated during various procedures in the eye care center. An earpiece retainer pin was removed from the frame of the sunglasses, and the earpieces were removed. The pin was pierced through a retainer strap and was then replaced in the frame, thereby permanently attaching the retainer strap to the eyeglass rim.
Although this solved the problem of uncomfortable earpieces, it did not provide the user with the ability to interchange retainer straps or move a retainer strap from one pair of eyeglasses to another.
What is needed in the art is an eyeglass frame that overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art. The present invention provides such an eyeglass frame.